Mechanics at WestJet, Canada’s second-largest airline, unexpectedly went on strike late Friday, threatening to disrupt flights and travel plans at the beginning of a long national holiday weekend.
WestJet’s president, Diederik Pen, stated that the strike could cause major disruptions for thousands of travelers.
The strike happened just one day after a government order for binding arbitration was thought to have prevented labor issues at the airline.
The mechanics’ union started the strike at 7:30 pm in eastern Canada (2330 GMT), stating that the airline’s refusal to negotiate made the strike unavoidable.
A strike notice had been issued earlier this month after the mechanics rejected a proposed deal with the Calgary-based airline.
“We are extremely upset by these actions,” Pen said, adding that the strike would cause “unnecessary stress and costs” without affecting the arbitration process.
Westjet flies 198 commercial aircraft to more than 100 destination in nearly 30 countries.